dissecting the final 4 AFC teams

[cribdog 0]

This is how I see it:

 

Defense: Ravens/Steelers>Titans>>Chargers

Offense: Chargers>>>Ravens/Steelers/Titans

Special Teams: Chargers>Ravens>Steelers>Titans

 

I know that defense wins championships, but the only team with an offense that might put a little fear into you is clearly the Chargers. Throw in special teams, and it might just be enough for the Chargers to win in Pitt.

 

I honestly don't know how the Titans are gonna score against the Ravens. They are playing such great defense right now, and the Titans are not the team that they were early in the season.

 

The home field is the only reason I am giving the Steelers and the Titans any chance at all here.

[jgcrawfish 232]

This is how I see it:

 

Defense: Ravens/Steelers>Titans>>Chargers

Offense: Chargers>>>Ravens/Steelers/Titans

Special Teams: Chargers>Ravens>Steelers>Titans

 

I know that defense wins championships, but the only team with an offense that might put a little fear into you is clearly the Chargers. Throw in special teams, and it might just be enough for the Chargers to win in Pitt.

 

I honestly don't know how the Titans are gonna score against the Ravens. They are playing such great defense right now, and the Titans are not the team that they were early in the season.

 

The home field is the only reason I am giving the Steelers and the Titans any chance at all here.

 

One thing to keep in mind here. Phillip Rivers came into the game vs Pittsburgh this year with the highest QB rating in the league and left with a 44 in that game. The Chargers had one, ONE good drive all game, the one that gave them lead near the end of the game. They had 218 yrds of offense total, and Pittsburgh dominated time of possession. The only Steelers weakness in special teams is their punter, but they have been great all year at coverage of punts and kicks. Sproles scares me a little but if they do what they've done all season then he will mostly a non-factor. I honestly see all 4 of the AFC teams as fairly evenly matched, downgrading San Diego just a little bit because of their defensive difficiencies.

[RLLD 3,539]

I think the Titan's are more fearsome on Offense than the Chargers, and for that matter i would worry a little more about the Steelers than the Chargers as well

[Borat33 17]

This is how I see it:

 

Defense: Ravens/Steelers>Titans>>Chargers

Offense: Chargers>>>Ravens/Steelers/Titans

Special Teams: Chargers>Ravens>Steelers>Titans

 

I know that defense wins championships, but the only team with an offense that might put a little fear into you is clearly the Chargers. Throw in special teams, and it might just be enough for the Chargers to win in Pitt.

 

I honestly don't know how the Titans are gonna score against the Ravens. They are playing such great defense right now, and the Titans are not the team that they were early in the season.

 

The home field is the only reason I am giving the Steelers and the Titans any chance at all here.

Yeah the Steelers have no shot against the Chargers. The Chargers offense was far from dynamic against a mediocre Colt defense. Sproles will not have half the game against a rested Steeler D that is the best in the NFL, yes better than the Ravens.

 

And the Titans are a very good team, not getting enough credit imo.

[cribdog 0]

Yeah the Steelers have no shot against the Chargers. The Chargers offense was far from dynamic against a mediocre Colt defense. Sproles will not have half the game against a rested Steeler D that is the best in the NFL, yes better than the Ravens.

 

And the Titans are a very good team, not getting enough credit imo.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Titans just get shut out by, as you claim, the mediocre Colt defense?

[jgcrawfish 232]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Titans just get shut out by, as you claim, the mediocre Colt defense?

 

The Titans has nothing, absolutely nothing, to play for, and Fisher essentially gave them day off. Yes, Indy rested too, but Dungy was determined to keep the foot on the gas and keep their roll going.

[Dan 59]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Titans just get shut out by, as you claim, the mediocre Colt defense?

 

Please tell me that you honestly don't think that the Tennessee starters (or Colts' for that matter) were in that game long enough to make the outcome measurable. Both teams had exactly one goal in that game . . . don't get hurt.

[Borat33 17]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Titans just get shut out by, as you claim, the mediocre Colt defense?

You are joking right? THat game was like a pre season scrimmage. Everything was locked up.

[MicktheGreat 1]

This is how I see it:

 

Defense: Ravens/Steelers>Titans>>Chargers

Offense: Chargers>>>Ravens/Steelers/Titans

Special Teams: Chargers>Ravens>Steelers>Titans

 

I think it's more like:

 

DEFENSE: Ravens/Steelers/Titans >>>>>>>> Chargers

OFFENSE: Chargers > Titans > Ravens > Steelers

SPECIAL TEAMS: Chargers > Ravens > Steelers > Titans

 

Everyone automatically thinks of the Ravens & Steelers DEFs (which are great); however, don't overlook the Titans DEF, which has been every bit as good as those other teams throughout this season. The Titans DEF will be even better than it has been in recent weeks because they'll likely be getting back both Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Vanden Bosch (their two best DL players).

 

On offense, the Chargers are the best all-around, I think; but even they aren't a great offense. I think the Titans & Ravens are pretty close offensively; but I'd trust the veteran Kerry Collins over the rookie Joe Flacco. The Steelers have weapons on offense, but their OL absolutely has to play better than they've been playing. If their OL doesn't improve drastically over the next couple of weeks, it won't matter how many weapons that they have because Roethlisberger will be on his back every play.

 

The Chargers have to be #1 here when you consider the combo of Sproles, Scifres, and Kaeding. The Titans come up last because, even though they have the reliable Bironas, Hentrich has been inconsistent this season and the kick/punt coverage has been below-average all season long.

 

[Dan 59]

I love that the Steelers get dismissed on offense and special teams. I think it's great, really. The offense has been suspect, and they scare me. But they have been clutch, and have come alive when it's necessary. The line needs to step up, and Arians needs to be someone else.

 

But the special teams get overlooked because of the lack of a flashy returner. It's priceless. Once again, we look for style insteaad of substance. But that's okay. I absolutely love it.

 

I think the other thing that is once again showing up in these breakdowns is something we're all guilty of. We latch onto the teams that just played because they looked so good beating the team they just beat. There is a reason that the top seeds are the top seeds. But the week off tends to make us forget in the light of Baltimore beating up a Miami team determined to give them the ball, and San Diego's brilliant performance over the Colts. Kudos! Great job! Now it's a new week! Good luck.

 

They're going to be great games, but I'd be careful with all the dismissing of Tennessee and Pitt in these games. It's kinda naive.

[cribdog 0]

Please tell me that you honestly don't think that the Tennessee starters (or Colts' for that matter) were in that game long enough to make the outcome measurable. Both teams had exactly one goal in that game . . . don't get hurt.

 

It doesn't matter. Don't we remember our history from just a year ago, the Giants and the Pats played hard in a meaningless game, and both made it to the bowl. If you are resting your starters, you lose your momentum, and often come out flat. I think Pitt remembered that, and they played their starters in the meaningless end of the season game, unfortunately it almost led to disaster.

 

Resting your starters and getting blown out is not the way to approach the playoffs, better to play hard all the way through.

[Dan 59]

It doesn't matter. Don't we remember our history from just a year ago, the Giants and the Pats played hard in a meaningless game, and both made it to the bowl. If you are resting your starters, you lose your momentum, and often come out flat. I think Pitt remembered that, and they played their starters in the meaningless end of the season game, unfortunately it almost led to disaster.

 

Resting your starters and getting blown out is not the way to approach the playoffs, better to play hard all the way through.

 

I agree with your point in this post, but it's disingenuous. You were using that game to suggest that Tennessee was weak. And THAT is poor debating, and you know it.

[scrotch 0]

I love how everyone is overlooking the Titans defense, which was just as good as the Ravens and Steelers this season.

 

In fact until that meaningless game where the Titans had all of their starters out by the mid 1st quarter the Titans were the #1 defense in points allowed, which is what it's all about in the end.

 

The Ravens managed only 10 points on the Titans last time around, and the defense really didn't even play all that well. We all know what happened to the Steelers last time they played.

 

Let's be honest here. Miami wasn't that great of a team. In a tougher division they would be 8-8 or 7-9. The AFC East was one of the worst divisions in football this year, even if the records don't show it. They padded their records by having the fortune to play the AFC West and NFC West divisions which were historically bad. It was obvious Miami was overmatched. But keep the Ravens hype coming please. I'm surprised Vegas doesn't have the Titans as underdogs considering the media treatment this game is getting right now.

 

And the Titans special teams really isn't bad at all. They have arguably the best kicker in football in Bironas. Also Chris Carr is a top 5 return man statistically. The punting has been average, which hopefully will change because field position will be huge this week.

[RLLD 3,539]

Should be some great football this weekend, I am getting fired up!

[scrotch 0]

Titans defense: 44 sacks, 23 forced fumbles, 20 INT's, 14.6 Points per game

Ravens defense: 34 sacks, 13 forced fumbles, 26 INT's, 15.2 points per game

 

 

This is why I feel the Titans defense has been overlooked when talking about this matchup.

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

Titans defense: 44 sacks, 23 forced fumbles, 20 INT's, 14.6 Points per game

Ravens defense: 34 sacks, 13 forced fumbles, 26 INT's, 15.2 points per game

This is why I feel the Titans defense has been overlooked when talking about this matchup.

 

 

Exactly. Just because rag-arm Pennington threw a bunch of picks to Reed, people forget.

 

These defenses are actually very similar.

 

Dominant tackles up front in Haynesworth and Nagta.

 

Very good MLB that runs all over the field in Bullock and Lewis.

 

Excellent safties in Griffin and Reed.

 

I think the Titans have the edge on CB's, with Finnegan and Harper. Having a healthy KVB will help too.

 

Bottom line, this game comes down to two things... field position, and who can make that one big play, or one long drive. I trust a veteran Collins behind one of the best O-lines in football more than a rookie in a stadium that will, I assure you, be loud as hell when the Ravens have the ball.

 

First team to 13 wins. I like the Titans, 13-10.

[scrotch 0]

Here's something I haven't seen mentioned anywhere. This will be the Ravens 17th straight week with a game, since Hurricane Ike forced them to change their bye week to week 2. Add in the fact that they are coming off of a short week (playing last Sunday) and that has to be somewhat of an advantage for Tennessee.

 

 

...but then again they are obviously in a rhythm, so I guess it could really go either way.

[Sho Nuff 720]

So the only reason a team with the best record in football (who already beat their opponent once this year) has a chance is because of home field?

Same even with Pitt.

The only reason they have a chance over and 8-8 team who they already beat is because of being at home?

[Sho Nuff 720]

And special teams for the Titans?

Not great...but I don't think the worst of the 4.

Solid kicker. Good punter...best kick return average in the league this year.

[Sho Nuff 720]

Both road teams have a chance to win of course.

But IMO, the home teams take these.

I think Pitt handles SD easily and TN survives a slugfest with Balt.

[cribdog 0]

First off, throw the records out the window. The Chargers were 8-8 during the season, but they are playing much more like a 12-4 presently. What I am saying is, looking at the 4 teams, I think the 2 road teams are playing at higher level at this moment, taking in consideration the last month or so only. Home field is a huge advantage, and that is what makes these games close. I am expecting 2 outstanding contests on the AFC side this weekend, much different than what I am expecting on the NFC side.

 

I will ride with the Chargers and Ravens, but not expecting it to be easy.